1. CRMC Target 100 Customer Service
Proper Telephone Etiquette in Health Care.

2. Table of Contents
Customer Service Mission
Top Six Telephone Rules
The Five Forbidden Phrases
Confidentiality Statement
Telephone Manners ,8
PBX External / Internal Calls ,10
Nursing Phone Standards ,12,13
Non-Nursing Phone Standards
Business Cell Phones / Pagers
Private Lines
Voic Greetings
Taking Messages
Transferring Internal / External Calls
Placing Calls on Hold
The Upset Caller
Language / Accent Barriers
Placing Phone Calls ,24
REVIEW SECTION

3. Customer Service Mission:
To achieve a superior level of Customer Service We must exceed our customers expectations!
Thank you for calling How may I help you?

4. Top Six Telephone Rules:
Be Respectful
Be Attentive
Be Efficient
Be Effective
Be Empathetic
Be Responsive

5. The Five Forbidden Phrases!
“I don’t know” - Say, “That is a good question. May I put you on hold so I can find out the answer for you?”
“We / I Can’t do that” - Say, “Here’s what we / I can do” Offer the customer options.
“You’ll have to” - Say, “you’ll want to” – soft implication that you need the caller to do something in order for you to help them.
“Just a second” - Be honest with the customer. Ask if they can hold and wait for a response. If the customer is not able to hold, take their name and number and let them know that you will call them back as soon as you can.
“NO” - This implies total rejection and no one likes it. Offer options and choices – not commands.

6. Release of Patient/Employee Information
CONFIDENTIAL
Patient or employee information should never be released unless authorized to do so –it is confidential
There are HIPAA laws that protect patient information-we should never release any Protected Health Information (PHI) without a signed release or patient authorization. There are some cases where minimal information can be released, see Policies regarding HIPAA laws.
All requests for information on current or former employees must be referred to the Human Resources Department, per HR policy 1.27 ‘External Reference Check Disclosure of Employee Information’.

7. Good Telephone Manners Be polite. Good manners are always indicated
Use correct grammar
Use a moderate tone and speed of voice
Speak clearly - that tells the caller you care about yourself, the facility, and their call
Use tact at all times when using the telephone-Think about the impression you are creating
Use Caller name (if known) when receiving a call
Never answer the phone using the Speaker Phone option and always ask first before placing someone on Speaker Phone.

8. Good Telephone Manners
SMILE. Even though the caller cannot see your face, it is difficult to speak unpleasantly with a smile on your face–non-verbal communications come across even by phone
Answer promptly-within 3 rings
Identify the facility and department
Give your name
Good Telephone Manners

9. Front Line – PBX External Calls
PBX operators work the front lines for almost all incoming calls. It is important that the caller be given the correct information.
PBX - “Thank you for calling Community Regional Medical Center this is Operator Patty, how may I help you?”
Caller – “Hello my name is Gary Smith. I’m looking for my mother, her name is Mary Smith. I was told she was admitted today. Could you transfer me to her room?”
PBX – “Yes Mr. Smith, your mother was admitted to the 4th floor and is in room 420 bed A. I can transfer you directly into your mother’s room. If you would like to speak with her nurse, you may call the nurses station and ask for the nurse that is taking care of Mary Smith. You may also call the main hospital number and an operator can connect you. Mr. Smith Is there anything else I can do for you before I connect you to your mother’s room?”
Although the caller did not ask for the nurses station number, PBX was proactive and this makes our Customer Service more effective and efficient. We gave the caller information and choices, not commands.

10. Front Line – PBX Internal Calls
PBX operators work the front lines for almost all incoming calls. It is important that the caller be given the correct information.
PBX - “Hospital Operator (or Information Desk), this is Patty, how may I help you?”
Caller – “This is Dr. John, please transfer me to the Cath Lab.”
PBX – “Certainly Dr. John, I will connect you to the Cath Lab. If you get disconnected you can call them x52140.”
Although Dr. John did not ask for the extension, PBX was proactive and this makes our Customer Service more effective and efficient. We gave the caller information and choices, not commands.

11. Nursing Unit Phone Standards
Basic Phone Standards for Nursing Units
Identify Department
Identify yourself
How may I help you?
“Emergency Department, this is Jane, how may I help you.”

12. Nursing Unit Phone Standards
How you should say it:
"He isn’t available just now, may I take a message?"
“I am sorry you are so upset, is there anything that I can do to help?”
“ I am sorry, I don’t recognize that name, let me see if I can find out who that is and a phone number for you”
Things not to say:
"The nurse isn’t here and I don’t know when he’ll be back"
“You don’t need to yell at me, after all, I am trying to help you”
“I don’t know who that person is or their phone number, sorry I can’t help you”

13. Nursing Unit Phone Standards
“ I have that phone number for you, I can connect you, but just in case you get disconnected, here is the phone number”
“Labor & Delivery this is Debbie – RN, May I put you on hold?” (Wait for caller to say “Yes”)
If the caller say’s “No”, ask them for their name and number and advise that you will have their call returned as soon as possible.

14. Non-Nursing Phone Standards
Internal / External calls to departments - Lab, Radiology, Cardiology, Business Offices, etc.
Identify facility (External calls only)
Identify department
Identify yourself
How may I help you?

15. Business Cell Phones & Pagers
Identify department
Identify your title if appropriate
Example: “ICU coordinator Jane, how may I help you?”
Identify yourself
How may I help you?
Example w/o title: “Administration this is Hope, how may I help you?”
Returning a Page:
Identify the department you work in
Announce you are returning a page
Example: “Hi this is Jane from LAB returning a page”

16. Answering Your Private Line
Smile: Non-verbal communications come across even by phone
Answer / Greet
Identify yourself
“Good morning / afternoon, this is Jane how may I help you. . .”
Use the caller’s name:
Once the caller has given you their name – use it
Be courteous and professional

17. Voicemail Greetings Most personal lines have a voicemail box
Speak Clearly
Control your voice tone and speed
Greet the caller and Identify yourself
“Hello, you have reached the voic for Jane Doe. . . “
Use your extended greeting option when you will be out of the office for more than two days.
“. . . I am currently out of the office and will return on Friday June 23rd. If you need immediate assistance you may call our secretary Marcy You may also leave me a message and I will call you back when I return to the office. Thank you for calling and have a great day”
*You may call Customer x56560 if you need assistance using the Extended Greeting voic option.*

18. Take a Message! Name of caller and telephone number
Messages will be taken accurately and legibly. All messages will be written and include:
Name of caller and telephone number
Date and Time of Call
Nature of the business
Confirm spelling of names or words and terms you may not be familiar with. One nurse returned to her desk to find a note on her phone about a patient that read, "Pull socks tomorrow." The nurse knew about pulling stitches but didn’t have a clue about pulling socks! She asked the secretary about the message. The secretary had a cold and couldn’t hear on the phone very well that day. The call was about a pulse oximeter,(ox-IM-i-ter) commonly called a pulse ox. Always repeat the message to verify its accuracy!
Determine the priority of the message and deliver it to the appropriate person in a timely manner.

19. Avoid the Bureaucratic Bounce
Proper way to transfer Internal and External calls
Identify the caller’s need
Ask the caller if they are able to hold while you verify the dept. and phone number: wait for response before placing on hold
Advise the customer that you are going to connect them to dept., name of person, and offer the phone number in case the call disconnects
When appropriate announce to the dept. / person of the call coming their way. Give them the name of customer and reason for call before hanging up

20. The Dreaded Hold Give your customer choices – not commands!
Advise the caller that you need to place them on hold.
Ask the customer if they are able to hold; wait for response.
Be honest about wait time.
If the wait time will be longer than 1 minute, check back with the caller and let them know you have not forgotten them, ask if they can wait longer or offer to call them back
Give your customer choices – not commands!

21. The Emotional / Upset Caller
Use “LEAPS” with emotional caller
L – Listen; allow the caller to vent
E – Empathize; acknowledge the person’s feelings
A – Apologize, even if the problem is not your fault say, “I am really sorry this has happened”
P – (Be) Positive
S – Solve; suggest / generate solutions and/or ask what you can do to help.

22. Language / Accent Barriers
Don’t pretend to understand – ask questions
Don’t rush the caller – they have to translate to their language and back to English – this takes time
Don’t SHOUT – this is a language / accent barrier – NOT a hearing problem
Don’t be rude
Offer the caller a translator if one is available
I don’t speak two languages, do you?

23. Placing Phone Calls
When placing a call, identify yourself: "This is Jane from Community Regional Medical Center, (department name) calling for.....
Don’t us jargon or technical terms that the caller will not understand. Eg: CHF-Congestive Heart Failure; UTI-Urinary Tract Infection; PACU-Post Anesthesia Care Unit;

24. Placing Phone Calls
Don’t speak to the caller in a condescending manner, this can be conveyed through spoken words as well as the TONE of your voice.
Terminate the call courteously with a simple "good-bye or thank you" and allow the caller to hang up first. Not only is this courteous, but you might miss something the person wanted to say.

25. Proper Telephone Etiquette in Health Care.
Let’s Review
Proper Telephone Etiquette in Health Care.

26. Let’s Review answering the phone
Answer calls by the third ring
Smile as you pick up the phone
Assume your “telephone” voice – controlling volume and speed
Project a tone that is enthusiastic, natural, attentive, and respectful
Greet the caller and identify your company, yourself, and department
Ask, “How may I help you?”
Never answer the phone using the Speaker Phone option and always ask first before placing someone on Speaker Phone.

27. Let’s Review the Conversation
Focus your attention on the caller
Speak clearly
Use plain English and avoid jargon and acronyms
Use action specific words and directions
Use the caller’s name during the conversation
Speak calmly and choose your words naturally
Use your listening skills: Be attentive
If there is a problem, project a tone that is concerned, empathetic, and apologetic
Avoid the Five Forbidden Phrases

28. Let’s Review Nursing Unit Phone Standards
Basic Phone Standards for Nursing Units
Identify Department
Identify yourself
How may I help you?

29. Let’s Review Non-Nursing Phone Standards
Internal / External calls to departments - Lab, Radiology, Cardiology, Business Offices, etc.
Identify facility (External calls only)
Identify department
Identify yourself
How may I help you?

30. Let’s Review Cell Phones & Pagers
Identify department
Identify your title if appropriate
Identify yourself
How may I help you?
Returning a Page:
Identify the department you work in
Announce you are returning a page

31. Let’s Review Private Line
Remember to Smile
Answer / Greet your caller
Identify yourself
Use the caller’s name
Be Courteous and Professional

32. Let’s Review Voicemail
Speak Clearly
Control your voice tone and speed
Greet the caller and Identify yourself
Use your extended greeting option when you will be out of the office for more than two days.
*You may call Customer x56560 if you need assistance using the Extended Greeting voic option.*

33. Let’s Review “LEAPS” Use “LEAPS” with emotional caller
L – Listen; allow the caller to vent
E – Empathize; acknowledge the person’s feelings
A – Apologize, even if the problem is not your fault say, “I am really sorry this has happened”
P – (Be) Positive
S – Solve; suggest / generate solutions and/or ask what you can do to help.

34. Let’s Review Transferring calls
Transfer ONLY when necessary or asked
Confirm the information of where the call is going
Provide the caller with the name and number
Introduce the caller when appropriate

35. Let’s Review Taking Messages
In Taking Messages
Name of the caller and telephone number
Date and Time of Call
Nature of the business
Confirm spelling of names or words and terms you may not be familiar with.
Determine the priority of the message and deliver it to the appropriate person in a timely manner.

36. Let’s Review Placing Calls
Identify yourself
Identify the facility
Identify the department
Do not use jargon or technical terms that the customer may not understand
Do not be condescending – words / tone
Terminate call courteously
Allow the caller to hang up first